


Fallout

by XIntensity_FallsX



Series: Reincarnated Falls AU [6]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anxiety, Bill deals with the loss of his powers and gaining them back one at a time, Billford - Freeform, Characters with trauma, Fluff and Angst, Human Bill Cipher, M/M, Modern AU, Romance, Triangle Bill Cipher, Young Stan Twins, character having a break down, relationship building between him and Stanford, temporary power loss
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 03:29:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15501336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XIntensity_FallsX/pseuds/XIntensity_FallsX
Summary: Stanford deals with everything that he missed while being out cold. Bill is drowning in turmoil, and finds acceptance from an unlikely source.Part six of an AU where Stanley gets to Gravity Falls first with Bill Cipher in tow. (Not sure why the count below says 7, this should be story 6. ^^;)





	Fallout

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the wait everyone! But I do have a tumblr for my art now that you can visit if you want! I am sublimeclod.tumblr.com
> 
> Anyhoo, there's some fluff and relationship building between Stanford and Bill as they try to figure some things out. The bulk of this chapter is from Stanford's perspective as he tries to figure out his place in Gravity Falls. This will be another two part story addition. I'm hoping you enjoy it!
> 
> I had writer's block hardcore over this. I've been working on it since March. Writing is incredibly hard for me, I tend to get a decent amount of anxiety over it. It's good for me to do this though, so I can work through it. That being said, I'm sorry for the delay again.

Bill floated above his reincarnated body. His triangular shape casting no shadow on the figure below, or on trembling form of Stanford Pines. Stanford eyed his unconscious humanoid body, his fingers drumming on the red leather cover of his journal. It was a fast, hard sound- one he imagined to be in time with the beating of his human heart. 

It was such a stupid sensation. Bang bang bang, all the time. Endless until it stopped and the humanoid form he was born into would cease to live. That is, unless he fully merged with him. All of his power, all of his immortality powering a flesh cage body. Oh what a time that would be! To move, to breathe, to take all that belonged to him once more. 

Bill eyed Stanford. He watched him put the book down on the stand beside his bed. Slowly, he got up from the bed, chewing on his bottom lip. His eyes went from the journal to the man out cold, reaching out with a trembling, six fingered hand to brush the curls from out of Bill's face. "What do you want, Brainiac? That's me. Big Bad Bill, back in town. You better hope the kid doesn't read that! Though... You never know, it might make things go a whole lot quicker for me. That being said, don't get too used to this nice prologue because the superior main event will be back on track before you know it!" He formed a cane in his small black hands and twirled it effortlessly as his eye never left Stanford as he lashed out with a bitter intensity. 

The black cane shot through Stanford's head, in one side and out the other. He drew it back, leaning over on it to watch Stanford with a narrowed eye. "I'm going to break you like I broke my Fordsy. I'll throw you in the portal or have Stanley do it better yet, and we'll play out the whole thing until this dimension is exactly like the last one and... and... You'll love me like you did-" His words bounced off the walls, a loud and echoing sound. Stanford did not hear them. They were for Bill, and Bill alone. 

The cane vanished as Bill's fists tightened enough to draw a blue fluid from the crescent marks his claws carved into the fleshy part of his palm. "This isn't right. You can't hear me! I am your everything, Stanford Pines! You should hear me no matter what! You should hear me for all eternity!" He narrowed his eye until his top lid nearly met the bottom, his fists trembling. He let go of his fists, his whole shape swelling and then deflating in a sigh. He pinched the space beneath his eye, and then dropped his hand entirely as his eye lid returned to its normal spot. 

"Regardless! You're not my Fordsy. You should be flattered that I would even consider being upset that you can't hear me! Guess what, pal! I don't want you! I never did! Not like this, I want my Fordsy! And that's not my body! This isn't where I should be! I don't want to be here, where no one else is! Again! Always again! I always wind up here! But oh ho buddy, this time it's even worse! Do you have any idea on what it's like to be trapped, watching yourself go through hell and not being able to do anything?!" In the back of his endless mind, Bill knew the answer. His Stanford knew exactly what such a thing was like, but this was not his Stanford. "You should be rightfully terrified of me, you should be giving me all of your love! I-" 

"Y-Your arm is broken." 

Stanford's words were soft, and his hands no longer trembled as he carefully re-situated Bill's damaged arm into a better position. Bill let out a choking, sputtered sound as his words ceased to flow. His mind raced, combing through all of his memories of Stanford Pines, looking, listening for words spoken as soft and full of concern as his were just then. 

Nothing. Not a single word ever uttered with such care could ever match the words this Stanford Pines spoke. 

His hands relaxed, his eye widening as he continued to watch Stanford check him over for worse injuries. “Why?” 

"You healed me, why didn't you heal you? ...You always seem virtually indestructible." 

Bill pinched the space above his eye, uttering out a huffed sigh. "Because when given the chance, I grew up to be a goody two-shoes who decided to put that all on hold to save Pine Tree of all people- what do you want from me, Sixer?" He folded his arms across his chest, staring hard at him. 

Stanford sat on the side of the bed, taking Bill's uninjured hand in his. "Don't worry, Bill. I'll take care of you. I-I know there's some warnings in my journal a-about you that another version of myself left, but... I don't... I don't think I should be afraid of you. I don't think it's you that's the problem. Based on his drawings and what I found, I think I know who the real threat is. Besides, I don't want to be afraid of you. I have so many feelings for you, that alone is t-terrifying, ha." He swallowed thickly. "...If he's right about though, and I'm not... you could wipe out everything. You wouldn't do that though, I know it." 

"You don't know ANYTHING!" Bill howled and flung his arms out to his sides. "I'll eat your world, you naïve meatsack! How dare you think otherwise! I may have grown up differently in this dimension, but that doesn't mean anything! I'm still me! And when I get a hold of that body fully, I'll make him remember who and what we really are! Then you'll be sorry!" His whole form shook, his arms eventually falling limp at his sides. No matter how loud or how long he screamed, the only one to hear him was himself. "You'll be sorry... and I won't be trapped here anymore." 

He let out a long sigh, drifting downward until he came to rest on his humanoid self. He had his little black legs resting on his chest, watching them rise and fall with every slow breath the body beneath him took. Bill's eye narrowed in on Stanford's hand, still holding his hand, his pale fingers carefully holding on to Bill's brown ones. He lifted his black hand, placing it on top of Stanford's. It went through as fast as the cane. The speed sent him falling forward, and nearly off of the body he was resting on. He drew himself backward, his eye staring at the pair of joined hands. He glanced down at his own hand, slowly closing his fingers back into a fist. "I don't want to be alone, Sixer. I hate it. My Fordsy never figured that out. He was too wrapped up in his own goals, which well... worked really well for me. It's a hell of a weakness, though. Maybe you'll figure it out, you're different. I kind of like it, but don't tell anyone," He let out a dry chuckle. His upper eyelid sank as he continued to watch them. He swiped his hand through their conjoined ones once more with a hard sigh. "Maybe just this once... While the kid's out. What harm can it do?" Bill shut his eye, letting himself melt into the body beneath him. 

Bill's eye flew open and stayed wide. He sucked in a deep, fast breath and howled. Pain from the broken arm throbbed, burned, and itched. Every part of the form he was born into was alive in agony. He dug his heals into Stanford's bed, writhing and bucking upward. "It hurts! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!" Tears prickled at the corner of his eye, spilling down his hot cheek in between hard gulps of air. 

"Bill!" Stanford wrapped his arms around him, mindful of his damaged arm. "I know it hurts, but you can't move around like that or you might injure yourself more- do you want me to get you some aspirin for the pain?" 

"Yeah. Yeah yeah yeah yeah." The kid was getting healing back as soon as possible, that much was certain. Stanford's arms unwound from him and immediately Bill was grabbing at his wrist. "Don't leave me!" 

"But I have to, you need the medicine!" 

Bill shook his head. "No, forget it. J-just... just stay with me. Please." Stanford's thumb slid over his cheek, collecting the tears there. "I don't like this kind of pain, I don't want this kind of pain in my body! It's not funny!" 

"No, you're horribly injured." Stanford watch Bill bury his face into his palm. "There's nothing funny about that at all." His voice went soft. "Do you want to go to the hospital?" 

"No. I want to stay here." Bill clutched at Stanford's arm. "With just you." 

"Okay, okay. We'll do that." He carefully climbed on to the bed, getting behind Bill. He wrapped his arms around his middle, pressing himself into Bill's back. "How's this?" 

"Good." Bill jerked his head in a sort of nod. Black was edging across his vision. "Sixer- This body won't stay awake anymore, but don't go when I'm out. Stay with me when I'm gone. I don't want to be alone." 

"This body? ...Bill?" No reply came, save the gentle sounds of his breathing. 

\- 

Stanford stayed with Bill until he felt him shift and wiggle out of his arms. He moved aside slowly, not wanting to jar him and aggravate his injury. Bill's broken arm shot up into the air, flexing his fingers and stretching them out. He reached up, peeling the splint off as if it were nothing more than a bandage. He sat up effortlessly and stretched, yawning loudly. "Still tired!" He smiled brightly at Stanford and flopped back in the bed. 

"Did... did you just heal yourself?" 

Bill glanced down at his arm, flexing and wiggling his fingers. "Sure did! I uh... I had a really rough day, night... and whatever it is now. I... I lost my powers, Six. I'll get im' back, but it'll be a little on the slow side. So... if you could lay off the peril for a bit, it'd be a good idea. No giant spiders or playing around with gravity for at least a week." 

Stanford stared blankly at him for a good long minute. "You lost..." 

"Yeah, well! It was for a good reason." He let out a huff and rolled his shoulders, looking only at the wall behind Stanford. 

"I didn't know you could do that-" 

"I made a deal to save someone's life." Bill's words were quick and shut him down almost instantly. "Can we not talk about it? At least not right now? So much happened so fast, and I can't even process it all. On top of it all, I'm starving." He grinned widely at him. 

"Oh sure! I can get you something to eat." He nodded quickly. "I'm so glad you're better! Last night, you were in so much agony. It was almost as if you couldn't contemplate what pain even was." 

The grin on Bill's face slowly faded. "Come again, Six?" 

Stanford frowned. "Don't—Don't you remember? You woke up in absolute agony, I wanted to take you to the hospital, but you said no. You said the pain wasn't funny. It... it was a really odd thing to say, Bill. You really weren't yourself." 

Bill slowly sank back into the bed, his long fingers clutching at the cover's edge. "O-Oh. I see." 

"What's wro-" 

"Nothing! Can you bring me some food? My wallet's downstairs. You can get me anything from Greasy's. It's all good. I'm just really weak, and I'll need the food energy. I'd go myself, but-" 

"No no, I can get it. You rest. You don't look well. You're looking a little ashen. ...Is that normal? I still think we should go to the hospital, especially if you don't have any powers. There's no way they'd be tipped off to you not being totally human-" 

Bill pulled the covers up over his head. "Go, Stanford." 

"Okay, okay! I'm going. I'll be back soon." He got up from the bed, making his way over to the door. Before he left, he glanced over his shoulder at the unmoving lump under the covers. He shut the door behind him and shoved his hands into his pockets. Stanley's snoring grew louder as he walked down the hallway toward the stairs. It seemed to stretch on longer than it should have. 

Stanley's snores drifted through his mind. Stanley's completely out. He'll be out the rest of the day. He must have helped out with whatever happened. Why WOULDN'T he have, after all? Bill always seeks him out first. They're always together. No doubt they tackled everything together without me. Stanford's fingers dug into the wooden railing, his eyes widening slowly. He sucked on his bottom lip, raking his teeth over the plump flesh. 

"They left me behind." 

Why didn't they wake me up? 

Because all I ever do is get caught. I'm a liability. 

The empty kitchen greeted him. All of the chairs were pushed out, as if there was a small group of people here and no one bothered to clean up. There was a small pile of bandages on the counter, along with a few other medical supplies and several used mugs. 

They couldn't even be bothered to wake me up when I could have helped Bill with his wounds. I could have patched him up. I could have done something- I'm smarter than Stanley! I'm not a liability! He kicked the chair hard enough to send it crashing into the counter, and let out a strangled, frustrated noise. The sound of wood clattering against the surface of particle board echoed in the empty room, accompanied by his heavy pants. "Shit." He winced. Stanley and Bill were still recovering from whatever happened. They deserved the peace. He craned his head to the side to listen. 

Stanley's distance snoring continued. The wood floors above did not creak from Bill getting up. He let out a hard sigh, unpinning his shoulders from his ears. "What's wrong with me?" He raked his hand through his hair. I must have been really out for them to not have included me. Those repeated falls hurt, and now they don't. Its like it never happened because Bill fixed me up. I think I feel better than I did before the gravity went nuts in the first place. He chewed on his bottom lip again, frowning deeply. Bill needs my help, and all I can do is wonder why he didn't want my help before. He needs me now. 

He picked the chair up, sliding it back under the table. 

Bill is a demon. I know demons, I've studied them. I can be better than the other me. I can help him, I know I can. I'll help him with his immediate food crisis, and then I'll help him with his less... obvious issue. Stanford walked into the next room, his eyes searching for the bag he had him when he went out into the forest. It was tucked behind the counter of the Mystery Shack portion of the building. After a moment of digging through the specimens, he found the gold statue he took from the forest. He turned it over from front to back to front again. The statue looked like the drawings provided for him by his future self. 

"You must be Bill." 

The eye of the statue gleamed in the afternoon sun of the shop, as if to answer him. 

Stanford sat the statue down on the counter, looking down at it with a frown. "I think I met you last night." He knelt down to look at the statue at eye level. "I want you to know something. It's not going to be so easy this time. I'm going to save my Bill from you. You won't do what you did to the other me, and you're not going to turn him into something he isn't. ...I don't know how I'm going to do all of that, but I will figure it out." He grabbed the figure off of the counter and stuck it in the lower cabinet, shutting it with an echoing slam. 

He stood back up, adjusted the collar of his shirt, and rolled his shoulders. Time to get Bill food. He went toward the door, opening it only to be greeted by the sight of red and blue lights from down the street. In front of Bill's store was one of the few Gravity Falls squad cars. He jogged over to it, his frown slowly growing. He looked into the shop window, seeing Preston Northwest and Deputy Blubs inside. Bill's bookshelf was down on the ground, bits of a smashed wood from the broken table littered the floor, and glass glittered brightly in whatever sun made its way past the grimy film on the main window. 

He walked toward the door, his legs feeling like they were filled with lead. He pushed open the door, and his eyes fell upon the bloodstained wooden floors. 

"Excuse me, sir- this is a crime scene. I'm going to have to ask you to leave-" 

"Wait! Just stay on the welcome mat, but don't come in!" Preston whipped around to look at Stanford with wide eyes and a pale face. "Do you know where my boss is?" 

"He's fine." Stanford's jaw trembled as the words somehow managed to flow out of his mouth. "He's weak, but he'll be okay. He's at my brother's house, sleeping off the injuries." 

"What? Sleeping off his injuries- there's blood all over the floor!" Preston gestured toward the floor. 

Stanford felt the color drain out of his face. He cleared his throat, but the words came out soft regardless. "I know." 

"Dr. Pines, did Bill tell you what happened here?" Blubs turned to him, clicking his pen and flipping to a new page to take his notes. 

His heart beat loudly enough to make his ears seem to pulse in time to the rhythm. He had no idea. "Y-yes. There was a break in. The thief didn't take anything, but Bill was injured. I'm sure he'll want to give you a statement when he's better, but he really needs to rest now, O-officer." 

"Deputy Blubs." 

"My apologies, Deputy." 

"You're looking pretty pale there, city boy. What's the matter, never been to a crime scene before? I thought you were some kind of doctor." 

Stanford shoved his hands into his pockets, his eyes never leaving the stain on the floor. "I-I didn't know it was this bad." 

"Alright, well. I've got all I need to start a case. Both of you get out of here, I'm going to close off the crime scene to preserve the evidence." 

Stanford staggered backward out of the shop, followed by Preston who stalked his every step. He lashed out, grabbing at Stanford's shirt collar with both hands. He yanked it upward enough for it to tear. "Look, Pines- you're not your brother. That's a pack of lies if I ever have heard one. What's wrong with Bill?!" 

"He's- he's hungry." 

Preston's dark eyes bore into Stanford's. He shoved him away. "I'm going to see him." 

"No! Please don't. I swear to you that he's alright, but he's very weak! Wait- why do you want to see him so badly anyway?" 

"He's my boss." Preston straightened his shoulders. "I came for my shift and I found...that." He gestured back toward the shop. "I looked all over, but there was no sign of him and so much blood. I thought he was dead. He's the only one who treats me like I'm a person, and not some rich idiot who can't do anything for himself." He rubbed his arm. "I'm not supposed to care about people who are outside of my tax bracket, but he saved my life too." 

Stanford's expression softened. "I swear he's alright. He's up at the moment, but he'll probably drift back to sleep- why don't you message him?" He reached up to finger the rip in his collar. It seemed to stretch for a few inches. He smoothed it back down to hide it. 

Preston gave him a side eyed glance. "I suppose I could do that. Look- about your shirt collar-" 

"Oh, it's fine. It's one of my older shirts." 

"I wasn't apologizing." Preston sneered at him and pulled out his phone. "Buy better shirts. You're a doctor. I don't know what Bill sees in a nerd like you." 

His cheeks turned a bright red. He tucked his collar up to hide his face and hurried past Preston toward Greasy's. Why didn't I say something? Why did I let him get away with saying that to me? I can't keep getting bullied, I'm an adult. I have to stand up for myself. Next time. I'll stick up for myself next time. Bill needs my help. He shoved his hands into his pockets. At least he didn't comment on my fingers. 

\- 

Bill slowly peeled himself from Stanford's bed. His body bowed and trembled under his own weight, as if his limbs were pipe cleaners and sand bags rather than flesh and bone. He flailed around in an attempt to find something to lean on, only to knock over all of the items on Stanford’s side table. His spare pair of glasses, his journal, and several pens clattered to the floor. The ground greeted him hard in return. There he laid, his limbs spread out uselessly in a pile among too many pens. He punched the old wood over and over again until blood began to flow from his busted knuckles. “I’m so hungry! I just want to eat! I-I'm so... so...” 

"I'm so hungry." 

Round eyes looked pleadingly up at Rico. "Please I- I just need a little more food. I swear it won't be much more, I promise. I'll do extra work. I-I'm just so... hungry." His tongue, now long and black like a snake's, swiped out from behind his plump lips. His eyes were completely focused on the food that remained on the dinner table after another one of Rico's long meetings. He was supposed to clean the dining room. He was going to mop the floor. 

A long grumbling growl erupted from his stomach. It screamed and howled out a bone raking sound. Several of the body guards surrounding Rico instantly drew their guns. 

"Boss! Boss, he ain't human! That kid's a freak!" 

"He's going to want to eat us next!" 

Rico rubbed his chin and approached Bill. "Put down the guns. I am not afraid of this boy." He reached up and grabbed him roughly by his chin, forcing his mouth open. Rows of sharp, pointed teeth greeted him. "He is just hungry. Such healthy teeth, wouldn't you say?" He stepped aside to show them. 

The bodyguards stepped back. One of them grew paler the longer he looked at Bill. 

"You want some food, chico?" 

Bill nodded. He felt his eye tear up, and shame spread through his body. He nodded. "Yes, please." 

"Beg for it." 

Bill fell to his knees with no delay. He bowed his head and grabbed the hem of Rico's pants. "I-I'm so hungry, please Rico. Please sir. Please can I have some more food? I'll clean everything twice if I have to." He kept his face parallel to the floor, his tears striking the brown clay tile beneath him. He felt thick fingers carefully lifting his chin. 

"You remind me of me as a boy. There was barely enough food to keep my family fed. I did what I could to bring home more food." He held up a large apple, untouched by the guests at his table from earlier. "What are you going to do about your situation?" 

A wave of dizziness brought him back to reality. He laid on his side, warmth and numbness sliding down his arms to the very tips of his toes. "Become your bodyguard." Bill curled his long, thin legs upward toward his chest. Gone were the clay tiles, Rico and his guards, and the warm breeze. "And have all the food I want. And money." He looped his arms around his knees, pressing his cheek to the warn wooden floors. He thought of the suit he wore when ran off in with Stanley, and how it loose it would fit now. He stared at the army of dust bunnies under Stanford's bed. 

"And power." 

Endless food meant endless energy, enough to run his powers. Enough to fight off his former self from gaining control over his body. 

"I could go back." He whispered to the dust bunnies, his eye growing wide. "Stanley is safe here, he has Stanford. I could go back and eat. Eat as much as I want and I'll never have to worry about losing myself to another me. I... no." He smacked his hand on the floor. I can't go back there- this is just the hunger talking. Rico wanted me to murder people, I can't do that. I won't do that. I don't want to hurt anyone. 

That's not true and you know it. 

Bill's eye snapped open and his upper lip curled. "You stay out of my head." 

"Bill?" 

Bill paused and looked up, catching sight of Stanford standing by him with a bag of food from Greasy's, and a bag from the supermarket. "Fordsy! Oh, you're a sight for sore eyes! Did you bring me back something good?" 

Stanford sat down on the ground next to him. "Yes, I did. But before I give you it, I want to ask you something." 

"You're cruel, Stanford Filbrick Pines. Delaying a starving man food-" 

Without missing a beat, he continued. "Have you tried these before?" He took a protein bar out of the bag, holding it up for Bill to see. It was immediately snatched from his hands by Bill, who peeled it like a banana, and shoved the entirety of it into his mouth. 

"Ugh, it tastes like sawdust and sadness, Sixer. With a bit of chocolate drizzle that does absolutely nothing for me." Bill scowled. "Do you have any more?" 

"Yes, and I will give you them. I know you're not human, Bill. Or... aren't one-hundred percent of the time. But your body still runs on energy, and you still need to consume a healthy amount of food and nutrition throughout the day. I used to eat these bars when I was working on research projects for school. They're not ideal, but they always held me over. Please promise me that you will try and eat them when you're starting to feel hungry?" 

"I..." Bill eyed the outstretched shopping bag. "Yeah." He took it and stuck it beside him. "I will, smart guy. I never thought of doing that before. Mostly because I knew they would taste awful, but... maybe I'm going about this endless hunger consequences vs using my powers thing the wrong way. I wasn't breaking any ground doing it my way, anyway." He shrugged a shoulder. 

"Thank you, Bill. I... I want to help you with this." He reached into the Greasy's bag. "I think if you're better fed, you can become stronger and fight uh... You know, y-your inner demons." He fiddled with his fingers, looking down at them and the floor, rather than Bill's face. 

Bill took the container from him, keeping his eye trained on his face. "Stanford, what exactly do you know-" 

"Oh! I bought you three kinds of pie slices. I didn't know what kind you liked so I got you all of them." 

Bill's stomach growled hard, silencing the other thoughts in his mind. He shook his head and started in on the container. "I like all pie, you chose the best option. 

"On the way there, I ah... I saw your shop. The police have marked it a crime scene and your assistant is very upset." 

"Ah—damn, yeah. Of course. Things are smashed, there's blood everywhere." Bill swallowed down a bite of food, whipping his mouth on the paper napkin which came with his meal. He sat his fork down with a sigh. "I should have gone back to clean, but I couldn't magically fix anything without all of my powers. I knew it was going to suck to give them up to save the kid, but geez. I didn't think it would be this bad. Ugh, I didn't even give you a proper explanation as to what happened. I never knew how many things I used my powers for without even trying. I took care of everything with my powers. Hell, even my hair!" He gestured with his chin to the mane of curly hair cascading down his back. "I don't own a comb! Damn it, I'm going to have to start shaving- can I even get my facial hair to look right without magic?! How do people do it? I need literally everything- Shampoo, hair spray, lotion because I don't want dry skin, cologne... Conditioner. Wait- does everyone condition? My hair's very curly, do you condition curly hair?! … How often do you condition if you're supposed to use the conditioner? Ugh, why didn't I pay attention! I'm going to wreck my hair, and I love my hair!" 

Stanford looked left and right, shrugging his shoulders. "I-I mean, I do use conditioner but my hair's not super curly-" 

Bill reached out and grabbed him by the shirt. "What am I going to do?! I don't know how to be a human being! I should have paid attention when I was pretending all of those years, but I didn't think it was important! Why do I do things like this!?" 

"Hey hey—we'll work through this! I've been a human all of my life, I'm an expert." He grabbed Bill by his wrists and gave them a squeeze. Slowly, his hands uncoiled from his shirt. "I can get it for you, we can research what's the best to buy! That's kind of my specialty. I have several doctorates- surely together we can find you a good shampoo, comb, whatever- without a problem. Along with anything else that comes along the way." 

Bill rolled his eyes and ran a hand down his face. "That's sweet, Six, but I'm not your charity." 

"It's not charity! Well... I mean, not in the way I mean it in. I care about you. I like you. I know you'd do the same for me if I needed help because you have. I can't fight gravity, I can't eat a massive spider like you did- But this I can do! I can research whatever you need, I can help you find answers. Please Bill, let me help you for a change." 

Bill drummed his fingers repeatedly on the floor, watching as Stanford stretched out a hand to him. He sighed and held up his own hand, reaching over to squeeze Stanford's. "Okay. I want your help. I just... I'm a mess, and I'm sorry. I fell apart over toiletries, for crying out loud. You have no idea the night I've had and... I swear I'll tell you everything, but not right now. It's too raw. A-and I probably won't be getting powers I like using every day back for a while, given the source that's regulating all of this. I guess. I don't know!" He threw his hands up with a loud sigh. "I'll probably get that one back on the last day of the week." 

Stanford got up and pulled out his tablet from his desk. "Do you really think you'll get them all back in a week?" 

"I suppose, yeah. I really don't know how many powers I actually have. I never thought about it until now. ...I was told getting them all back at once would destroy me. I've also learned that it does hurt to get them back, as my body has to account for the surge of energy and all the changes. So it’s good they’re going to be parsed out." He finished the container and sat it down, poking at the Styrofoam with his fork. "Ugh, Six. I'm too reckless. I should have thought my plan through more. I bet I could have done everything and still managed to keep my powers, if I gave it more of a thought. I can't be so reckless." 

"You did what you thought you had to do." Stanford sat beside him, scrolling through a website of haircare products. "And it worked out okay. You saved someone." 

"I know, I know. There's something else though. There's this door image I saw in a cave, and Beb's master is trying to come back. I'm worried more trouble's on the way, and I won't be able to make the best decision on how to fix it. What if I do something like this again? What if I make the wrong choices all over, and people beside me get hurt? I mean... strangers are strangers. I'm talking like my unpaid intern, or Stanley. Or... or you." 

"I don't think you will, Bill. You'll learn from this. As for the other things, I can help you look for more clues out in the woods. If there's trouble on the way, we'll find it. You and I." 

"And Stanley, right?" 

"Y-yeah, and Stanley." Stanford rubbed the back of his neck. "About that, though. I know you and Stanley are close in all. But I don't want you guys to run off and leave me behind. I know I haven't been the best, but I'm going to be better the more times I go out and experience the adventure. Either alone, or with you guys! It's like an actual D, D and more D game out here!" 

Bill squinted at him. "I don't know what that means, and I'm going to guess it's not what I think it is. But if it is, Fordsy—you dog." He grinned at him. 

"Huh?" Stanford blinked at him and furrowed his brow. "D, D and more D is a game you play with dice and character sheets. You know! Dungeons, Dungeons and More Dungeons!" Bill's face remained neutral, with barely a shrug of acknowledgement. Stanford cleared his throat. "There's a game master, and people who role play their character in a fantasy environment-" Bill's finger pressed against his lips, preventing him from continuing. 

"Tell me later, Sixer. I'm still processing everything. Maybe you can show me how to play some time when things are less crazy. And I'm sorry you felt like we left you behind on our latest adventure. You were really beaten up and needed to heal. I wasn't going to wake you, and neither was Stanley. You are valuable, you're the book smarts part in our little adventure triangle. I want your help on this. I never meant for you to feel like you weren't important." 

Stanford's face lit up. "Really, Bill? You really mean that?" 

"Yeah, smart guy- you brought me back a potential solution to my hunger issues. I couldn't do that, and I've had this body all my life!" He leaned over, placing a kiss on his cheek. "You saved me." 

"Aw, Bill. Come on. All I did was bring you food." Stanford's cheeks heated up regardless, flushing a dark red. 

"Didn't you see the state I was in? I was thinking some dark thoughts before you came in." 

Stanford frowned at him, reaching over to take his hands. "They're gone, right?" 

"They're a distant memory." It was followed by a long enough pause and a heavy gaze from Bill that Stanford's cheeks turned a bright red. 

Stanford quickly averted his eyes to stare at the floor. "A-are you going to do something? I feel like you were going to, and you keep looking at me like you want to and-" 

Bill blinked and looked down at himself in confusion. He let out a hard huff. "Ugh, this no powers thing also extends to my ability to create extra limbs. I was calling extra arms for reasons but no dice. Wow uh, this is kind of embarrassing." 

Stanford peeked up at him. "Wait- Can you make more limbs than just arms?" 

"I think so, I've never tried it out on anything but arms though. Why, got any requests?" 

"I..." Stanford pushed his forefingers together, looking anywhere but Bill's grinning face. "...No..." 

"Stanford Filbrick Pines, you are one-hundred percent lying to me." Bill's grin grew wider. "You totally have a request. You can just tell me, you know. It's not polite to lie to your boyfriend." 

Stanford fell back on his palms and then his forearms, only to have Bill climb between his legs and hover over him. Curly hair spilled right over Bill's shoulder and on to Stanford, tickling at his cheek. The sensation made him blush darker, and he swallowed hard. "I like your hair." The words tumbled out and were so soft, Bill barely heard them. "It's really soft, and... I just..." He clenched his eyes tight, as the memory from his earlier standoff with Preston came back to him. "You're just... great. Everything about you is, and I don't... I don't get why you like me so much." 

The pause seemed to stretch, each second last longer than the last until he felt Bill's weight drape over him. "You seem to only see the best in me. And even in my worst, you know it doesn't define me. You have no idea how much I need that in my life right now. You're a brave, creative soul, Six. When your heart and head are playing on the same team, you're down right unstoppable. All that and well... I got a thing for smart guys, what can I say? I'm damn sure that you're the smartest guy I've ever met, so... There you go." 

Stanford's eyes went wide. He covered his face with his hands, trying to hide the dark red blush on his face. "Oh, I- oh." He swallowed thickly. "Other than my professors and Stanley, you're really the only person who has said such nice things to me. And you ah... you're my boyfriend, and for whatever reason that means so much more to hear coming from you." 

"...Stanford, can you breathe behind those hands of yours? You're really red. About as red as your journal, actually." 

"You are not helping by pointing it out." 

Bill snorted and pried Stanford's hands from his face. He was beat red from his cheeks, to his chin, and all the way up to his forehead. "Sorry. You wanna help me pick out some haircare things and other stuff?" He sat back and off of Stanford, extending a hand to help him sit up. "I'm really looking forward to that shower and cleaning up." 

"I've already started looking! I bookmarked ones I thought you might like." 

Bill broke out into a wide grin. "You're the best, Fordsy." 

\- 

After Stanford left, Bill glanced at the mess he had made in his room. He threw out the trash, made the bed, restacked the pens and set his glasses back on the side table drawer. His eyes fell upon the journal, lying flat on the floor with its pages splayed open. 

His fingers twitched as he reached for it. Stanford had to have written something about him, and their exploits. A little peak couldn’t hurt. He shook his head. It was not his property. The last time you read a book about you it didn’t go so well. Mind your own business, self. 

“At least I didn’t bend the pages on him when I knocked it over.” He frowned and bent over, collecting the book into his arms. His fingers ran down the cover, his thumb sliding between it and the first page of the book, feeling the texture of the paper rubbing up against his skin. 

Don’t read it. 

He stood up straight, nearly dropping the book. “I wasn’t going to!” His fingers tightened around it. 

Yes, you were. You’re thinking about it right now. 

He clutched the book to his chest, glancing around wildly. “I am not! Get out of my head!” 

Oh kid, you have no idea how much I want to do just that. 

“Y-You wouldn’t take me now, right? I’ve got almost nothing for powers-” 

You’re right! You owe me one, and I’m going to save it for just the right moment! Don’t worry, I’ll make sure it’s great- the best night of our lives, even! Anyhoo- don't read what’s in that book. You’ll regret it! 

“You can’t tell me what to do. This is still my body, I’m still in charge-” He flipped open the cover, thumbing through the pages. “Spiders, gravity, Jersey, me. More me. Drawings of me. ...Heh. Stanford, you flatterer.” He snorted and flopped back on his bed. The next page was a bit more refined than Stanford's writing, with the cursive smooth and much less excitable. 

He slid his hand down the page as he began to read. 

To My Younger Self, 

I apologize for the gravity causing you injury. I am Stanford Pines from a different dimension, I came here after my great-niece and nephew invaded your dimension in a misguided attempt to relive their childhoods. ...I do not blame them, in a way. However, their entry may have caused a rift- a tear capable of creating a door to another dimension to this one . While that may sound harmless, I assure you if this rift falls into the wrong hands, it has the potential to bring nothing but mayhem. I will look for it while I am here, but should I not find it, it will be on you to find and contain it. I have done this before, and I know you will be able to do this as well. I have drawn pictures of what you need to look for below and how to do this task. 

I wish this was all I needed to tell you, but there is something else. 

This will be difficult for you to hear, and I am truly sorry. 

I know you have deep feelings for Bill Cipher. I’ve seen your pictures, and read your writings on him. This Bill seems nice, but I know deep down he is not all 'nice'. His power will grow, his insanity will spread, and the Bill you loved will never be the same again. He'll fall into ultimate madness, and there's nothing you can do. I know this because inside of him is the Bill from my dimension. He's been reincarnated from him, but that does not make him any less dangerous. It’s best if you divorce yourself from him immediately, and spare yourself the heartbreak. I was with him for a short while, and I can see why you feel so strongly for him. This path will not be easy, but you must break up with him for your own sake. 

Do not fall in deeper with him. Do not make my mistake. You have the chance to be all that I could not be. There is still time for you to win all of the awards I was meant to win, and develop a research outpost that will one day become world famous. 

Bill Cipher will ruin your life. You will wind up being cast out and alone. Eventually it all turns out fine, but you have the chance for it all to be fine. You’ve already succeeded in having a relationship with Stanley. That’s more than I can say for me when I was your age. 

Regardless- It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. 

Bill stared at the words, his eye wide. He shut the book, and sat it down on the stand. He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a long, pained sigh. "I really have to stop reading people's journals. Stanford had to have read this." Yet he's been nothing but supportive. He chewed on his lip. I can't do this. I can't do this to him. I need some time to sort all of this out. He brought his arms over his chest and squeezed them, frowning hard. 

I warned you. 

Bill balled up his fists, and clenched his eye tight. "Shut up! Just stay out of my head for ten damn minutes, I need to think!" He let out several hard breaths, rolled his shoulders, and let out a long sigh through his nose. 

He opened up the drawer in the stand to gather a piece of paper and a pen, writing his own letter to Stanford. 

\- 

Preston Northwest was at a loss as he sat on the trunk of his expensive car as it sat on one of the few roads in and out of dense forest. He had driven out there, intent on taking a walk through some of the darker parts of the woods until he remembered how well it went the last time. Since the shop was currently closed and most of their inventory was smashed, it seemed feasible to go get new herbs. He sent Bill a remarkable number of messages in a short amount of time about his excellent idea, yet all of them had gone unread. 

Despite the hot summer day, there was a breeze heavy with unease drifting through the trees. It raked over Preston, and he shuddered. His eyes drifted to his phone, where no new messages greeted him. He gripped his phone and threw it as hard as he could into the dark spaces between the trees. "I hate this stupid nightmare forest. I hate this damn creepy town. I hate everything!" 

“And why’s that?” 

Preston startled, turning wide eyed toward Bill. His normally well-kept hair was longer than he had ever noticed, and pulled back into a simple ponytail. He had a backpack over his shoulders, and quiet expression. “I- you’re okay!” 

“Yeah, I survived.” He shrugged a shoulder as a frown pulled at his lips. “I’m going away for a while. Shop’s closed. You’re free to go on your own. Be a free-range unpaid intern, or whatever.” 

Preston narrowed his eyes. “And when will you be back?” 

“Why does it matter?” 

“Because you have a shop! You’re a business owner, you can’t leave it in that condition!” 

Bill sighed and rubbed at his one eye with the fleshy part of his palm. “Well, I give the store to you then. How’s that?” 

“Horrible! You’re not going to let a little thing like a break in stop you, are you?! Business is not for the weak!” 

Bill let out a bark of laughter. It seemed to bounce off the trees as he stared wide eyed at Preston. “Maybe I’m weak then! Who knows? Do you know? Because I don’t know anymore!” 

“You’re not weak! You don’t even have a proper education, yet you have your own business in a really difficult part of town to have one in! That’s not weakness!” 

“Preston-” Bill pinched the bridge of his nose. “You don’t have any idea of what I am-” 

“Yes I do! You’re a boss, a business owner-” 

“NO! It’s more than that!” 

Preston shook his head, and crossed his arms over his chest. “That’s nonsense, what else could there be than that?” 

"I—Oh. Oh no. I thought it was only one per day!" Bill’s whole body shook, until he wound up crumbling to his knees. He leaned over onto his hands, digging his fingers into the dirt. Preston's shouts did not seem to sink in as he began to tremble violently all over until two more pairs of arms sprouted at his sides- each holding a blue, dancing fireball. When he clenched all six of his fists, the fire shot upward and vanished into six distinct curls of smoke. He collapsed in the dirt, curling up on his side as the last tremors ripped through him. “I’m..." He sucked in a breath, letting it out in a near barking sound. "I'm a monster, Preston." 

Preston’s eyes went wider than they have ever been. His eyes darted from all six of his hands, finally coming to rest on Bill’s raw face. “...So are a lot of business people. You’ve got two additional pairs of hands, that simply makes you more efficient.” He extending a shaking hand to Bill, to which three hands grabbed on to. Together, they helped Bill sit up. 

“W-was that a joke?” 

“Yes and no. Humor isn’t a Northwest specialty.” 

Regardless of his intent, Bill began to laugh. He laughed hard and long, while Preston stood rigid as if roots had suddenly sprouted from the soles of his expensive shoes. Eventually those laughs turned to heavy sobs. One of Bill’s many arms went across his face, gathering his tears. 

“...Now may not be the best time, but comforting is also not a Northwest specialty.” 

“It’s okay, Preston.” Bill stood up, shrugging away his extra arms. He clapped the dust off from his jeans. “I’m fine.” 

“So you’ll stay?” 

“There’s more t-to it.” He listed to one side, bracing himself up on Preston’s trunk. 

“You don’t look well, boss. I suppose sprouting multiple arms and then making them vanish will do that, hm?” 

“You... you are very right, Preston. My body's trying to adapt to growing multiple limbs at will. It's unpleasant and exhausting. I don't suppose I could sit down in your car?" 

"Of course." Preston extended an arm, wrapping him around his back in order to help him into the backseat. Bill never made it to sitting, seeming to favor laying down on his side. 

"What do you do when everyone thinks you're bad? Or going to be bad?" Bill's words did not seem to be directed at him, or at least, he supposed they were not. 

Preston cleared his throat. "Do you think you're bad?" 

Bill shut his eye for a moment, and went quiet. A good long while passed, with Preston eventually sitting beside his feet in the back seat. "No." His voice was firm when he did speak. "I do not think I'm bad now. I am worried I may become bad." 

"Well, if you're worried about it, then at least it won't catch you off guard. I'd be more worried if you weren't concerned about any potential future evil deeds. ...Why, do you want to be?" 

"No. Absolutely not. I just want to live my life with the people I care about. That's all I've ever wanted. But I keep getting well... Hints that no matter what I want, it's not going to matter." His voice went soft, and Preston strained to catch what words came out mumbled next. "At least in this life that's what I want." 

"I don't think you will be, boss. At least, not worse than you currently are." He poked him in the leg. "If you think that you might lose whatever internal war you're fighting, why don't you place a reminder in your phone or physically on you about the important things in your life? Then you can be reminded of the things you care about when you need it most. That's how I survived my last semester." 

Bill slowly sat up. He pulled his phone from his pocket, and held it up to Preston's face. The camera sound went off. "You're picture number one." 

His eyes were wide, and unblinking. "I'm someone you care about?" 

"Well... you're the best unpaid intern I've ever had." He shrugged a shoulder and grinned. "Hey- do you think you can take me to a motel outside of Gravity Falls? I could go home, but I... I think it would be a good idea to try and recollect my thoughts by myself. I was walking there, but my body doesn't feel so well. I don't think I'll make it far on foot." 

"Yeah, yeah- of course." Preston's voice went soft. "Wait! Why don't you just stay at my place? You can have your own wing. No one will bother you, and it won't cost anything." 

Bill shifted in his seat, lacing his fingers together. "I suppose I could, yeah. If you don't mind having me." 

"No no, of course not. It'd be my pleasure. ...I suppose Stanford knows you're gone for a bit?" 

"I wrote him a letter explaining that I needed some time to myself. He believes in me. He's not the problem. It's a really long story, Preston. I owe it to you to explain the whole thing, and I will. Not right now though, I need to rest." 

"Don't worry about it, boss. You relax, I'll get us to my place, it'll be fine. Though I... do you mind if I ask you one thing?" 

Bill laid against the door, propping his head against the window. "Fire away." 

"Is this being ah... "different" why you dropped out of school?" 

"Essentially." 

"I-I see." Preston's fingers curled into fists. "I'm really sorry." 

"Me too. I liked school, you know. Maybe if I didn't have to leave, I could have gone to business school like you." 

"I'm sorry you didn't get that chance." He reached out and put a hand on Bill's shoulder. "You're really not looking well. Lay down, I'm going to start the car." Once he was out of the car, he made his way into the driver's seat. Bill was facing toward him, with his eye shut. "Still alright, boss?" 

"I suppose. Preston, I... How are you so alright with all of this, though? I grew limbs in front of you. You didn't even flinch." 

"I know this town's not normal. I've seen things I shouldn't, things that exist in my own home that are other-worldly. I was almost eaten by a massive spider. I knew there was something different about you, but I couldn't figure out exactly what that was. ...Actually, I'm relieved you're not normal, I really need someone to talk to about all of this." He gripped the steering wheel and pulled away from the side of the road. "I've seen so many weird, old documents in my home, and witnessed my father talking to things my brain won't let me piece together all the way." His eyes flitted over to Bill in the rearview mirror, wanting to make sure he was still alright. 

Bill was sitting up slightly, his eye fighting to keep open. "Preston. Did you see anything with a door drawn on it? Please try and remember, I think it's very important." 

"Yes! I know I have. I can show you when you're better." He watched as Bill sank back down. "Is something wrong?" 

"I don't really know yet, but we're going to get to the bottom of it." 

-END


End file.
